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J Bekaert

Publications and source records attributed to J Bekaert.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Malignant myoepithelioma of the breast. Case report with immunohistochemical study.

Malignant myoepitheliomas of the breast are rare. We report a case of spindle cell malignant myoepithelioma studied by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The malignant myoepithelial cells stained positively for cytokeratins, smooth muscle actin and vimentin, but not for epithelial membrane antigen. The tumor showed a focal positivity for S100 protein. A short review of the morphology and immunohistochemistry of cases reported in the international literature is given in a table. Morphologically malignant myoepitheliomas can be subdivided into spindle cell malignant myoepitheliomas and malignant adenomyoepitheliomas.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Causative role of Yersinia and other enteric pathogens in the appendicular syndrome.

In 2,861 consecutive patients undergoing appendicectomy for clinically suspected appendicitis an enteric pathogen was isolated from the appendix in almost 7% using an optimal combination of culture media. The pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica serotypes 03 and 09 predominated (3.6%), followed by Campylobacter and nontyphoid Salmonella. The same pathogen was isolated from the stool in 72.5% of patients with a culture-positive appendix and in 84.1% of those positive for a pathogenic Yersinia. Conversely, no pathogenic Yersinia were isolated in 326 gynaecologic control patients, in whom a normal appendix was removed. No frank appendicitis but mesenteric adenitis and/or terminal ileitis were found in 62.3% of 138 patients with a culture positive appendix, and in 74.6% of those positive for a pathogenic Yersinia. Histologic findings available in 135 patients showed acute suppurative appendicitis in only six (4.5%) patients, and in only one of 73 (1.4%) positive for a pathogenic Yersinia. In contrast, 46.8% of a group of 345 culture-negative appendices showed acute inflammation. A positive stool culture in a patient with suspected appendicitis, if consistent with sonographic and clinical findings, should be taken as strong evidence against the presence of true appendicitis.

Adolescent↗

The role of lordosis.

A majority of degenerative changes in the vertebral discs, the facet joints or even the interspinous ligaments, as in Baastrup's disease, are probably caused by pressure damage. Among the various causes of overloading, hyperlordosis--alone or in combination with other adjuvant causes--is presumably the most important one. Its detrimental influence is most noticeable in some peculiar situations, where lordosis is the common denominator of malformations of different origins, as, for instance, dorsal and dorsolumbar kyphosis, L4-5 facetarthrosis with L5-S1 spondylolisthesis, and posterior or posterolateral distraction arthrodesis. It is now recognized that arthrodesis in the lumbar spine should be done in normal lordosis or even slight hyperlordosis in order to respect, or even to improve the stress distribution in the mobile segments. After lumbosacral arthrodesis, as well as in common "everyday" low back pain problems, protection of the disks and facet joints from prolonged continuous loading is essential for the prevention of continuing degeneration.

Adult↗

Hypoglycemia owing to inappropriate glucagon secretion treated with a continuous subcutaneous glucagon infusion system.

A selective glucagon deficiency was documented in a 36-year-old female patient suffering from severe hypoglycemic attacks. The extremely low fasting plasma glucagon levels could not be stimulated by hypoglycemia. The increase in plasma glucagon during stimulation with arginine did not prevent hypoglycemia provoked by the simultaneous insulin secretion. Treatment consisting of a continuous sc glucagon infusion system resulted in correction of both postabsorptive and postprandial hypoglycemia. Further lowering of the glucose level during an arginine test could be the hallmark of this hypoglycemic syndrome characterized by an inappropriate glucagon secretion. This case report would indicate that epinephrine cannot prevent hypoglycemia when glucagon release is completely deficient.

Adult↗

Biochemical and histochemical analysis of steroid hormone binding sites in human primary breast cancer.

Mammary carcinoma tissue from 514 primary breast cancer patients were all biochemically and histochemically analyzed for both estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors. The dextran-coated charcoal (DCC) method measured the ER and PR as defined by Scatchard analysis, ligand competition experiments and target organ specificity. The ligands, estradiol-6-carboxymethyloxime-BSA-fluoresceine isothiocyanate and hydroxyprogesteronehemisuccinate-BSA-tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate, used for histochemistry, did not bind to either ER or PR and were mainly bound to the membrane fraction of isolated breast cancer cells. Fluorescence was not specifically inhibited by estrogens or progestogens. In addition, "estrogenic" always coincided with "progestogenic" fluorescence. The binding of the fluoresceine compounds to tissue slides depended on the large steroid hormone substitution on the bovine serum albumin molecule. Clinical parameters, known to be related to ER and PR did not correlate with the histochemical results. The observations indicated the impossibility of specific steroid receptor detection by the histochemical method. Therefore, up to the present, evaluation of hormone dependency and prognosis in human breast cancer cannot be based on this approach.

Adult↗

Determination of free thyroid hormones and their binding proteins in a patient with severe hyperthyroidism (thyroid storm?) and thyroid encephalopathy.

A patient with severe hyperthyroidism (thyroid storm?) and thyroid encephalopathy is described. During her illness only a slightly raised level of total thyroxine and a normal level of total triiodothyronine was found in contrast with very high levels of free thyroid hormones. Very low levels of thyroxine binding globulin, albumin and low levels of thyroxine binding prealbumin in contrast with nearly normal values of T3 resin uptake were observed. All parameters of thyroid function returned to normal after therapy.

Adult↗

Presence of alpha-1-antitrypsin in pancreatic carcinoma. Report of four cases in association with hepatic storage of the protease inhibitor.

Among 13 patients with accumulation of alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) globules in periportal hepatocytes, 4 were found to have a pancreatic malignant tumor. Three tumors presented features of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, the fourth was a poorly differentiated carcinoma displaying a glandular differentiation in its lymph node metastases. AAT immunoreactivity was detected in tumor cells from all 4 cases in either the primary or metastatic site. Two tumors contained Grimelius-positive cells; most of them were also positive for AAT. In addition, AAT immunoreactivity was observed in cells from normal large excretory ducts of the pancreas. AAT-positive tumor cells were negative on staining for other normal plasma (e.g. albumin and fibrinogen) or tissue-associated proteins (e.g. alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotrophin). The findings appear to suggest: the pancreas adenocarcinoma as an additional malignant tumor with AAT positivity; a possible malignant proliferation of AAT containing cells in the pancreas ducts; a possible association between AAT accumulation in the liver and pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Hypothyroidism and prolactin.

Hypothyroidism-induced hyperprolactinemia, with or without clinical manifestations, is reported in a short case in addition to the results of basal and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-induced prolactin values in primary hypothyroidism. In comparison with an age- and sex-matched group, basal- (P less than 0.02) and TRH-induced (P less than 0.02) prolactin values are significantly increased in primary hypothyroidism. A review of the literature and the possible pathogenesis of hyperprolactinemia, amenorrhea and galactorrhea are discussed. No correlation could be found between maximal thyrotropin (TSH) and prolactin-increase values.

Adolescent↗

Familial cerebellar ataxia with hypogonadism.

A brother and sister with congenital cerebellar ataxia, anosmia, oligophrenia, hypogonadism and anomalies of amino acid distribution are reported. Ties between the different symptoms are difficult to establish. It seems to be a new syndrome rather than a new disease. Once more these associations emphasize the need for metabolic and biochemical research in heredodegenerative diseases. The evolution of the disease in these cases might make it possible to classify and locate it more accurately.

Adult↗